Coastal Carolina Rallies Past ECU, 4-3

March 21, 2010

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Coastal Carolina bounced back from a doubles point loss by claiming four of six singles matches to rally past East Carolina 4-3 in non-conference men's tennis action Sunday afternoon at the ECU Tennis Complex.

With the win, Coastal Carolina improved to 12-5 overall while ECU dropped to 12-4.

East Carolina jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a doubles sweep. Stian Tvedt and Stephen Whitwell claimed an 8-2 triumph over Dorian Sovic and Plamen Tzvetkov at No.3, while Jaroslav Horvath and Henrik Skalmerud defeated Alex Funkhouser and Ernesto Ramos to put the Pirates on top. Massimo Mannino and Bryan Oakley fought through five tie-breaks to walk away with the 9-8 victory over Matt Gordon and Dmitry Vlaskin at No.2 position to finish out doubles action.

Coastal Carolina took the last three singles matches in three-sets to capture the win. Sovic defeated Oakley 6-3, 6-2 at the No.5 slot to even the match, quickly followed by Gordon's 6-3, 7-5 win over Horvath at No.1 but Whitwell posted a similar score over Vlaskin 7-5, 6-3 at No.2 to keep the match close.

With a 2-2 score and three matches left to play, Coastal Carolina responded as Tzvetkov dismissed John Schmitt 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 at No.6 and Funkhouser upset Skalmerud 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 at No. 3. Mannino would be the only other Pirates to post a singles victory with the 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Ernesto Ramos at the No.4 flight.

The Pirates will return to action on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. matchup with The Spartans of UNC Greensboro at the ECU Tennis Complex.

COASTAL CAROLINA 4, EAST CAROLINA 3
Singles Play
No. 1 - Matt Gordon (CCU) def. Jaroslav Horvath (ECU); 6-3, 7-5
No. 2 - Stephen Whitwell (ECU) def. Dmitry Vlaskin (CCU); 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 - Alex Funkhouser (CCU) def. Henrik Skalmerud (ECU); 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
No. 4 - Massimo Mannino (ECU) def. Ernesto Ramos (CCU); 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 - Dorian Sovic (CCU) def. Bryan Oakley (ECU); 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 - Plamen Tzvetkov (CCU) def. John Schmitt (ECU); 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Doubles Play
No. 1 - Horvath/Skalmerud (ECU) def. Funkhouser/Ramos (CCU); 8-6
No. 2 - Mannino/Oakley (ECU) def. Gordon/Vlaskin (CCU); 9-8
No. 3 - Stian Tvedt/Whitwell (ECU) def. Sovic/Tzvetkov (CCU); 8-2
Team Records: East Carolina 12-4, Coastal Carolina 12-5

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